A memory device includes a transistor and a memory cell. The memory cell includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode, and a dielectric structure. The top electrode is electrically connected to the transistor. The dielectric structure includes a thin portion and a thick portion. The thin portion is sandwiched between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The thick portion is thicker than the thin portion and between the bottom electrode and the top electrode.

A memory device includes a substrate, a semiconductor fin over the substrate and extending in a first direction, and a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode over the substrate and extending in a second direction. The semiconductor fin extends through the second gate electrode and terminates on the first gate electrode at one end. The memory device further includes a first conductive via over and electrically coupled to the first gate electrode. The one end of the semiconductor fin is surrounded by the first gate electrode.

A method includes simultaneously forming a first dummy gate stack and a second dummy gate stack on a first portion and a second portion of a protruding fin, simultaneously removing a first gate electrode of the first dummy gate stack and a second gate electrode of the second dummy gate stack to form a first trench and a second trench, respectively, forming an etching mask, wherein the etching mask fills the first trench and the second trench, patterning the etching mask to remove the etching mask from the first trench, removing a first dummy gate dielectric of the first dummy gate stack, with the etching mask protecting a second dummy gate dielectric of the second dummy gate stack from being removed, and forming a first replacement gate stack and a second replacement gate stack in the first trench and the second trench, respectively.

In one embodiment, a method includes providing a substrate comprising a source/drain contact region and a dummy gate, forming a first etch stop layer aligned to the source/drain contact region, where the first etch stop layer does not cover the dummy gate. The method may include forming a second etch stop layer over the first etch stop layer, the second etch stop layer covering the first etch stop layer and the dummy gate. The method may include converting the dummy gate to a metal gate. The method may include removing the second etch stop layer using a plasma etching process. The method may include removing the first etch stop layer.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, a gate structure, a source/drain epitaxial structure, a backside dielectric cap, and an inner spacer. The gate structure wraps around the semiconductor layer. The source/drain epitaxial structure is adjacent the gate structure and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer. The backside dielectric cap is disposed under and in direct contact with the gate structure. The inner spacer is in direct contact with the gate structure and the backside dielectric cap.

The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a front side and a back side; a gate stack formed on the front side of the substrate and disposed on an active region of the substrate; a first source/drain feature formed on the active region and disposed at an edge of the gate stack; a backside power rail formed on the back side of the substrate; and a backside contact feature interposed between the backside power rail and the first source/drain feature, and electrically connecting the backside power rail to the first source/drain feature. The backside contact feature further includes a first silicide layer on the back side of the substrate.

An integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires and a second vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A first gate stack is over the first vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, and a second gate stack is over the second vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. An end of the second gate stack is spaced apart from an end of the first gate stack by a gap. A first dielectric gate spacer is laterally around the first gate stack and has a portion along an end of the first gate stack and in the gap. A second dielectric gate spacer is laterally around the second gate stack and has a portion along an end of the second gate stack and in the gap. The portion of the second dielectric gate spacer is laterally merged with the portion of the first dielectric gate spacer in the gap.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a first trench partially through a first substrate from a first side of the first substrate. The method also includes widening a bottom portion of the first trench to form a lateral footing area of the first trench. The method includes forming a first metallization in the first trench; forming a second trench through a second substrate from a second side of the second substrate to expose at least a portion of first metallization in an area corresponding to the lateral footing area of the first trench, the second side being opposite to the first side. The method also includes forming a second metallization in the second trench in contact with the first metallization.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a plurality of nanowire transistors stacked vertically, wherein each nanowire transistor of the plurality of nanowire transistors comprises a corresponding nanowire of a plurality of nanowires; and a gate stack, wherein the gate stack fully encircles at least a section of each nanowire of the plurality of nanowires.

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a gate structure formed over a fin structure, and a source/drain (S/D) epitaxial layer formed in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The S/D epitaxial layer includes a first S/D epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer. The semiconductor structure includes a gate spacer formed on a sidewall surface of the gate structure, and the gate spacer is directly over the first S/D epitaxial layer. The semiconductor structure includes a dielectric spacer formed adjacent to the gate spacer, and the dielectric spacer is directly over the second epitaxial layer.